A New Secret
by redrider6612
Summary: Sequel to 'Secret No More'Brennan gets pregnant unexpectedly and is agonizing over a decision.  Will she tell Booth?  Will she keep the baby?  Rated M thanks to chapter 14.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the sequel to 'Secret No More' and it's set a year later. B&B are still together. Let me know what you think.**

A New Secret

Chapter 1

Brennan hung up and sat staring off into space, stunned by the news she'd just received. She couldn't believe it—her mind simply wouldn't accept it. She had been so careful to take her birth control every day, but as her doctor had warned, it was only 97 effective. It would seem she was now a part of the 3 who still managed to get pregnant on the pill. Pregnant. She repeated it to herself a few more times, thinking repetition might help her grasp the concept, but her mind wasn't cooperating.

What her mind _was_ telling her, urgently, was to go find Angela. She needed her best friend to tell her what to do. She started searching the lab for her, trying to stay calm. Angela would know what to do.

She found her in her office, working on her computer. She glanced up with a distracted smile as Brennan came in. "Hi, sweetie. I haven't finished with that cellulose that was found with the victim. It was pretty badly degraded, so it isn't likely there will be much—"

"I'm pregnant," Brennan blurted out.

Angela sat with her mouth hanging open, staring at her in shock. After a moment, she shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes at Brennan. "You aren't happy," she said. It wasn't a question.

Brennan sighed. "I don't know, Ange. I should be, shouldn't I? I mean, Booth is an incredible father and I love him and he loves me, so I should be ecstatic. But I'm—not sure."

Angela jumped up and came around the desk, putting her arm around Brennan and leading her to a chair. Angela leaned her hips against the desk and gave her friend a level look. "Look, sweetie, you've been through a lot in the last few years, done a lot of growing. Your relationship with Booth really shows how far you've come. Give yourself a little time to get used to the idea," she advised gently with a soft smile.

Brennan folded her hands in her lap tightly, using every bit of her self control not to 'lose it' as Angela would say. "It's not that I don't like children, Ange. You know I love Parker like he was my own, and the idea of having Booth's baby—part of me really wants it," she confessed, her voice cracking with emotion.

Angela leaned forward to squeeze her arm in sympathy. "Then what's the problem?"

Brennan looked up with tears in her eyes. "Doing what I do, knowing the horrible things that happen to people, the atrocities people commit—how can I bring a child into the world? I've always been categorically opposed—"

"Have you ever considered that you might be carrying the person destined to discover the cure for cancer?" Angela argued. "Or maybe he'll be instrumental in bringing about world peace. Even if he or she is just the one person who can be someone else's everything, then that is a good enough reason to give them a chance at life."

Brennan looked at her thoughtfully. "I didn't know you were pro-life."

Angela sighed. "It's a very complicated issue. I can't say I'm pro-choice or pro-life. But I do believe if the mother and father are healthy, there's no reason to end the pregnancy. Especially if the parents are financially able to raise the child. Why don't you talk to Booth?"

Brennan jumped up and started pacing as she became more agitated. "No, I can't, not yet," she said firmly. She paused midstride to pin Angela with a stern glare. "Don't tell him. If I decide to—terminate the pregnancy—I—I'm not sure I want him to know. It could be the one thing he would never forgive. It might be the end of us," she said, choking on the last word as a lump blocked her throat.

Angela felt tears gather in her eyes. "Just promise me you won't go through this alone. No matter what you decide, I'm here for you."

The tears she'd been holding at bay broke free at her friend's generosity. Angela hugged her as she cried, stroking her hair as her own heart ached for her. She felt helpless. She couldn't break her friend's confidence, but she wished there were some way to let Booth know. If he did, she knew he would find a way to convincer her to keep the baby. If only there was a way to tell him without actually _telling_ him.

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**I know, its short and angsty, but I'm already starting on the next part. Please R&R and feed musie so she'll cooperate. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

A New Secret

Chapter 2

Arriving home before Booth, Brennan sighed wearily and went to change into her sweats and a baby tee. Padding barefoot into the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator to consider their choices for dinner. She had planned on making mahi mahi, but the thought of fish didn't appeal to her sensitive stomach. There were salad makings and boneless chicken breasts she could broil, but she wasn't thrilled with that idea either. What she really wanted was some saltines and a big dish of ice cream, but Booth would know something was up if she had that for dinner. Sighing, she took out the chicken and took it to the sink to prepare it for broiling.

Booth came in whistling softly, dropping his keys and cell on the table by the door. Pulling off his jacket and tie, he sniffed appreciatively. "Babe?" he called, heading for the kitchen. She wasn't there. Then he heard the toilet flush and water run in the bathroom. A moment later she came down the hallway looking very pale. Booth became concerned. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Brennan smiled at him weakly. "I think I may have the stomach flu. My stomach's been queasy all afternoon," she said, forcing herself to meet his eyes. He'd know something was wrong if she didn't.

"Why aren't you in bed then?" he asked, all solicitous concern.

Brennan put up a hand. "I'm okay," she said. "I'm not really tired, I just need to rest. I'm going to go in the living room."

He shut off the oven and followed her. She curled up in the corner of the couch and closed her eyes. He picked up the throw and tucked it around her. "Can I get you anything?" he asked softly, stroking her hair back from her face.

"Tea? And some crackers. Thanks, Seeley," she said with a smile.

"Don't mention it. I'll be back in a minute."

Brennan closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It seemed like less than a minute later, he was back. "Here you go, baby," he said gently, and she opened her eyes and smiled. He had brought a mug of tea and a small plate of assorted crackers.

"Thanks, Seeley." She sat up as she accepted the mug and took a small sip. Her stomach was already calmer and she smiled up at him gratefully. "The chicken should be done," she told him, hoping the distraction would stop his hovering. It was going to drive her crazy.

"I shut off the oven. I'll get it in a minute. When did you start feeling sick? You seemed fine when you left this morning," he said, touching the back of his hand to her forehead.

She jerked her head away irritably. "Booth! Quit it. I'm fine. It was just after lunch. Maybe it was something I ate," she said, desperately trying to get him to drop it. She didn't want him to figure out what was really wrong.

He straightened and she felt guilty for the faintly hurt look on his face. She gentled her tone. "Really, Booth, I'll be fine. Now, why don't you go eat?"

Putting his hands on his hips, he studied her closely for a moment. "Okay. Would it bother you if I brought my plate in here?"

She smiled. "No, that would be great." He went off to the kitchen and was back with a plate five minutes later. Sitting down beside her, he started telling her about his day. Nibbling her crackers and sipping her tea, she laughed and talked to him like nothing was wrong, when in reality she was afraid things were about to go very wrong. But she wanted him to be ignorant of that for as long as possible.

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She was up and gone before he woke the next morning. That was a little odd, though not totally unheard of, but considering how she felt last night he was surprised. Something was just a bit off with her, aside from her illness, but he knew she was too stubborn to tell him. He decided if she still seemed strange this evening he'd press her on it.

Brennan arrived at the lab at 6:30, which was early even for her. She had been a coward, sneaking out before Booth woke, but she wasn't ready to deal with his perceptiveness. The man could be nearly as bad as Angela sometimes. She knew she needed to make a decision soon, or he'd figure it out on his own. Then there'd be hell to pay. She knew he would be hurt that she hadn't told him right away. She wouldn't blame him if he was.

She was halfway through her second cup of coffee and a third of her emails when Booth strolled into her office and dropped into the chair in front of her desk. "So, we have a case," he said. She kept typing the reply she was composing. He cleared his throat.

She looked up to find him looking at her with a half smile on his face. "What? Oh, yeah, just a minute." Finishing the email she hit send and closed down her computer. She grabbed her coat and bag, all without really meeting his eyes.

He didn't start the SUV right away after they got in. Brennan looked at him quizzically as he turned and put his hand on the back of her seat. "What's wrong?" he asked gently, his eyes concerned. She was behaving very peculiarly and he feared the worse. Maybe she was getting ready to break it off with him.

"I don't know what you mean," she said calmly, but her mind was racing. She was completely blowing it. What to do?

"C'mon, babe, I can tell something's bothering you," he said, dropping his hand to rub her shoulder.

"No, Booth, really. I'm fine. Just a little tired from that stomach flu I had yesterday. Can we just go?" she asked desperately. His eyes probed hers for an agonizingly long time and forced herself to hold his gaze steadily.

He finally shook his head and faced forward, starting the car. "Fine, don't tell me. But I'm gonna find out sooner or later," he warned. Brennan had a sinking feeling he would. It was just a matter of time.

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Things went more or less smoothly the rest of the week. He didn't ask any more probing questions, but she caught him watching her sometimes. She knew her time was going to run out soon and she was beginning to panic. She wasn't any closer to making a decision.

Walking into the apartment, bone weary, she smelled something heavenly. Shedding her coat and dropping it on the arm of the couch with her bag, she went into the kitchen. Booth was cooking again.

"Hi," she said, sliding her arms around his waist from behind. "That smells wonderful."

He turned to wrap his arms around her, dropping a kiss on her upturned lips. "Thanks. It's almost ready. Wanna go pour the wine?" he asked with a smile.

Her brows rose. "Wine? What's the occasion?" she asked, trying to think of an excuse not to drink—it wouldn't be healthy for the baby.

His smile turned mysterious. "It's a surprise. Go on," he urged. Kicking off her shoes, she went to pour the wine.

Booth set the plates on the table. "Hey, aren't you going to have any wine?" he asked, noticing her empty glass. He had bought her favorite merlot.

"My stomach is still a little touchy. Maybe later," she said, taking a bite of the chicken cordon bleu. "Mmmm, this is delicious," she murmured, hoping to divert his attention. It worked.

"Thanks. It's my mom's recipe." Brennan relaxed as he went on to tell her about his mom's cooking. She had completely forgotten about his 'surprise' until he brought it up as they finished.

He reached over and took her hand, turning it over to place a soft kiss in the palm. Brennan's breath caught at the warmth of his gaze. "I love you, Temperance," he said softly.

Smiling a bit uncertainly, she wondered where this was going. "I love you too," she replied cautiously.

Suddenly his right hand dropped a small box in her palm. "I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much," he said seriously. "Will you marry me?"

Her head spun as his words registered and she completely forgot to breathe. He knew! She didn't know how he found out, but that had to be the reason for his proposal. Panic was quickly replaced with anger as she remembered that he had asked Rebecca to marry him after he found out she was pregnant. Tears sprang to her eyes.

Pulling her hand out of his, she put the ring box on the table and sat back, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Booth. I can't marry you," she said with a break in her voice. She looked away, unable to watch his reaction.

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**Don't worry, there will be more soon. I'm already working on it. Please R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

A New Secret

Chapter 3

He'd expected her refusal, but there was something odd about her reaction. "Why?" he demanded, leaning forward. "Look, I know you don't believe in marriage, but I—do and I really think we should—"

Her head whipped around and she pinned him with a look. "I know why you're doing this," she whispered raggedly, cursing the tears in her voice.

He looked puzzled. "What do you mean? I told you why. I love you and I want you to be my wife—"

"No!" she said vehemently. "You found out about the baby and you want to do what you think is right!" Her words dropped between them like a bomb and she immediately wished she could call them back.

He stared at her with his mouth open, shocked into silence. A niggling suspicion dawned in her mind. He didn't know. Her heart sank as she realized she had just revealed her secret needlessly.

"Baby?" he asked hoarsely. It was pointless to deny it. She nodded, closing her eyes as she braced herself for his anger. "You're pregnant? But you're on the pill." His voice held no trace of anger and she opened her eyes to look at him. He was frowning, but he wasn't mad. Yet.

A wry smile kicked up a corner of her mouth. "It would seem it isn't 100 fool proof. Three percent of women on the pill still get pregnant. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "How long have you known?" he asked in a dangerously calm voice.

She sighed and closed her eyes. There was no point lying. It wasn't her style anyway. "Since Monday."

"When were you going to tell me?" he asked in that same calm voice. A horrible thought had occurred to him, but he didn't want to believe she was capable of it.

She opened her eyes and met his gaze hesitantly. "I—I'm not sure," she admitted.

A muscle jumped in his cheek. "You were going to abort, weren't you?" he accused softly with a waver in his voice.

"I don't know!" she exclaimed. It was the truth, but it was the wrong thing to say.

That set him off. He jumped up and started pacing, suddenly furious. "You don't know? So you were actually considering killing our baby?" He stopped in front of her and she looked up. Her heart ached at the pain she saw on his face.

"You don't understand," she said with a crack in her voice. She struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Crying wouldn't help the situation.

Spinning the chair and straddling it backward, he folded his arms on the back. "Why don't you explain so I will?" he said in a low, furious voice. "And stick to one or two syllable words, I wouldn't want to misunderstand you."

Folding her arms, hugging herself tightly, she stared at the floor, trying to find the words. She wasn't good at this. "I've seen horrors—despicable things people do to each other. I've seen the effects of child abuse, spousal abuse, prostitution, drug abuse, murder. How can I even think about bringing a child into a world like that?" Tears spilled over as she forced herself to look him in the eye. "Then Ange said something that made me look at it from another point of view. She pointed out that my child—OUR child, might actually be the one to solve one or more of the world's problems. And that gave me hope." Reaching out hesitantly, she touched his arm. "I couldn't bring myself to kill that hope."

His eyes widened. "So you're going to have the baby?" he asked tentatively, hardly daring to hope.

"I—think so," she said as another tear rolled down her cheek and caught in the corner of her mouth. He pursed his lips, holding onto his temper. "Please tell me you understand. This decision isn't easy. The idea of killing your baby, a part of you—it would nearly kill me," she said.

His face was a mask. She still hadn't really answered the question. "Are you going to have the baby?" he demanded.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, she nodded. "Y-yes."

Closing his eyes, he dropped his forehead onto his arms, saying a quick prayer of thanksgiving. But her next words brought he head back up sharply.

"But I won't marry you," she said firmly.

He groaned as his frustration returned full force. "Damn you're stubborn!" he said.

"It's an antiquated ritual that has no real purpose in modern society. The divorce rate alone should tell you that it's outdated—"

"Is there any situation you don't apply your damned logic to? Don't you ever go with your emotions?" he asked harshly. She gave him a blank look. He sighed and reached for her hand. "Do you love me?" he asked.

Pulling her hand away she stood and turned away. "You know I do, but what does that have to do with it? We don't need a piece of paper and a ceremony to make a commitment."

He jumped up and grabbed her shoulders to stop her from pacing. Brennan looked into his eyes, those eyes that could make her forget to breathe, that sparkled with devilment when he was teasing her, but right now they were searching hers anxiously. She knew how traditional he was, but she felt strongly about this.

"I love you," he said, moving his hands to cup her head. "I want to marry you. But if this is the only way I can have you, then I'll take it." He bent and kissed her softly. "But I'm gonna ask you again and again—and again until I get the right answer."

Her hands slid around his waist and she leaned up to kiss him. "If that makes you happy, go right ahead. But I won't change my mind," she murmured.

"We'll see about that," he said, then he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. He wasn't beat yet. After all, who would have thought Dr. Temperance Brennan would ever have a baby?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this part is kinda short, but it's nice and fluffy, so that makes it okay, right? Don't worry, it's Saturday, musie's most creative day, so I'm sure the next chap will be up by tonight.**

A New Secret

Chapter 4

He'd been awake for nearly twenty minutes, watching her sleep as the early morning sunlight slowly crept across the bed. She had been talking in her dreams, which is what woke him, but she was quiet now, her forehead smooth and a slight smile on her face. Her hair was a silky tangle around her head and her hand was curled up under her chin and he thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He smiled at the thought of the baby—their baby. He wondered what she would look like. Would she have her mother's incredible blue eyes? Her lovely auburn hair?

Unable to resist, he lightly touched the gentle dip in her chin. She sighed and her eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "Morning," she murmured. "What time 'zit?"

"Good morning. I don't know, why?" he asked, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her flush up against him.

"I need to go to the lab," she said, her voice lacking conviction as her senses came alive. His hand was doing things that made her thoughts scatter and she struggled to remember what she'd been saying. Blinking up at him, she frowned. "Stop that," she commanded, going for stern but ending up sounding breathless.

He smiled lazily. "What?" he asked, dropping a kiss on her jaw and slowly making his way to her mouth. Her head spun as his lips softly teased at hers. She opened to him and moaned as his tongue swept in to stroke the inside of her bottom lip. She finally found the strength of will to place both hands on his chest to push him back.

"I'm serious, Booth. I need to go in to the lab," she said more firmly. She looked over his shoulder toward the nightstand. "Where's the clock?" she asked, bewildered.

"On the floor," he said absently. "C'mon, Temperance. It's Saturday. I was hoping we'd spend the day together," he said with his most charming smile.

"Don't do that," she said weakly. Damn him, he knew she couldn't resist him when he smiled at her like that.

"What? Smile at you? Why?" he teased, enjoying watching her struggle to resist him.

"Stop trying to charm me. I'm going into the lab," she said stubbornly.

Booth sobered. "You know, you're going to have to cut back on your hours," he said, and immediately realized that was the wrong thing to say. She stiffened in his arms.

Brennan felt anger and frustration overwhelm her. So it was already beginning. This baby was going to change everything and she knew she wasn't going to like it. "Maybe once the baby's born I will, but for now there's no reason to. I feel fine."

He frowned at her obdurate tone. "Temperance, you need to take care of yourself. Carrying a baby puts an enormous strain on a woman's body and you need to take it easy—"

Brennan sat up, growing even more agitated. "I'm well aware of the physiological changes that pregnancy causes. I'm not an invalid and this isn't the nineteenth century. Back then they treated upper class women like fragile dolls, confining them to their homes and sometimes to their beds during pregnancy. It was proven to be unhealthy a long time ago."

Now Booth sat up. "I'm not asking you to stop working altogether. I just want you to be reasonable. Working long hours isn't good for the baby." He was trying to keep his voice level—losing his temper wasn't going to help.

She folded her arms, her chin at a stubborn angle as her will fought against his reasonable argument. She looked at him and relented at the gentle concern in his eyes. "How about a compromise?" she asked.

He struggled to keep the triumph from his face. "What?"

"I'll cut back my hours a little and if I begin to feel fatigued, I'll rest." He narrowed his eyes, gauging her sincerity. "Booth, I need to work. It'll help me deal with this whole situation."

He nodded, reaching up to stroke her cheek tenderly. "Okay, it's a deal. But I reserve the right to step in if I think you're pushing yourself too hard." She opened her mouth to protest and he puts his fingers there to stop her. "Please, Temperance. I'm concerned for our baby." His voice was husky with emotion and her heart squeezed as love for him overwhelmed her.

"Okay," she said huskily, and he smiled and leaned forward to reward her with a kiss. He almost managed to pull her back down to the bed, but she pulled away. "Seeley, I mean it, I need to go into the lab."

He sighed. They needed to work on this stubbornness of hers. "Two hours," he said.

"Four," she countered.

"Three," he replied firmly. "And I get to come along."

She rolled her eyes. "What are you going to do at the lab for three hours?"

He smiled, sensing victory. "Don't worry about me. I'll find something to amuse myself with." She gave him a dubious look. "It's not negotiable. If I don't go, neither do you."

Sighing resignedly, she gave in. "Fine." She made a move to get up and his arms caught her with amazing speed. She struggled for a minute but gave up when it was obvious it was useless. "Booth, I want to go."

He pulled her closer. "Later. The lab isn't going anywhere. Right now I need to make love to you," he murmured, and then he was kissing her passionately and she lost the will to fight him any longer. They didn't get to the lab until much later.

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**Now, you know what to do. Click the little blue button and make musie happy so she'll get busy on the next chappie. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

A New Secret

Chapter 5

Brennan was trying to concentrate on the skeleton she was examining, but it was challenging with Booth fidgeting nearby. She had been working steadily for over two hours and she was nearly ready to just give in. He obviously didn't want to be there. When he sighed for the third time in as many minutes, she straightened from the table.

"Booth, I thought you were going to find something to amuse yourself," she asked as pleasantly as she was able.

He spun the chair so he could look at her. "Hmmm? Oh, well I did, but I finished reading the magazines I brought. I was going to play a computer game, but none of the computers have any—"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "The computers are top of the line models that are used to run simulations, analyze particulates and bones, and run searches in national databases. Why would they have any games on them?"

He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "I don't know, most computers come with basic solitaire programs preloaded, so I thought—" he said, twisting the chair back and forth on its castors.

"I'm sure the IT department removed any extraneous programs when they loaded the forensic software," she said, bending over the skeleton again. An unusual group of markings on the left front parietal bone caught her eye and she leaned closer, bringing her magnifying glass up to try to see them more clearly.

"Extraneous, right," he said thoughtfully. There was a long moment of silence. "What are you looking at?" Booth suddenly said at her elbow, making her jump. She elbowed him in the ribs hard and frowned up at him. "What?" he asked, rubbing the sore spot.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she said with strained patience.

"Sor—ry! I thought you knew I was here. And I didn't sneak. You were just so focused you must not have heard me. So, what's so fascinating?" he asked to divert her attention from her irritation with him.

With one last frown at him, she turned and bent over the remains again. "There's an unusual group of marks on the left front parietal bone. I can't seem to quite make out—"

"Really? What kind of marks? Like a blade of some kind?" he asked, trying to see over her shoulder.

"Dimples," she said in a puzzled tone. "They're in a distinct square pattern," she said, but he could tell she wasn't really talking to him. "The dimples are in a symmetric formation."

"What do you think caused it?" he asked. He still couldn't see it, but she had the advantage of the magnifying glass. He leaned in closer and his chest came into contact with her shoulder, jostling her.

She straightened with a groan of frustration. "Booth, please!" she said, at the end of her patience. "You're making this much more difficult than it needs to be."

He stepped back, raising his hands in surrender. "Sorry, I was just trying to see what you were looking at—" he stopped at the severe look she gave him. "Okay, I'll just sit down over there and be quiet." She looked at him doubtfully. "You won't even know I'm here," he promised seriously.

She cocked an eyebrow at him as he sat down in the chair, then went back to work. He managed to stay quiet for nearly five minutes. He looked at his watch and back at her. Clearing his throat, he spoke softly. "You know, it's been nearly three hours—"

"Two hours, forty two minutes," she corrected after glancing at her watch. "I'm almost done, Booth. I just need to take some measurements."

"O-kay," he said, subsiding again. Minutes dragged by and suddenly he couldn't take the inactivity any longer. He stood up. "Uh, I'm gonna bring the car around," he said hesitantly.

"Mmm-hmm, that's fine. I'll be out in just a minute," she said absently. He tried not to mind that she found it so easy to dismiss him. But hey, he knew what he was signing up for from the get-go. Yep, she was one focused squint. No thoughts of Booth to distract _her_. He smiled as he got in and started the SUV. Maybe it was time to start planning his campaign.

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Early Monday morning Brennan was working at her computer answering emails when Angela sailed in with a huge vase of red roses. "Sweetie, a guy just delivered these for you," she said with a huge grin.

Brennan frowned. "Who are they from?" she asked. She couldn't imagine who would send her flowers. She never got flowers.

Angela rolled her eyes as she set the bouquet on Brennan's desk. "I don't know. Read the card, silly." She perched on the edge of the desk, practically vibrating with excitement.

Brennan pulled the tiny card out of the envelope and read it, then handed it to Angela with an odd little smile on her face.

"'Marry me. All my love, always, Seeley'," Angela read. Her grin grew wider. "Oooh, sweetie! He's asked you to marry him? This is so exciting!" Brennan smiled and shook her head. Angela's smile faded. "It's not exciting? You didn't actually tell that gorgeous hunk no, did you?" she asked incredulously.

"Ange, I don't believe in marriage. It's an archaic ritual with no real significance—"

"Okay, stop. I've heard it all before, and I admit I used to agree with you. But this is Booth we're talking about. The man is traditional to the core and I don't see him accepting less than marriage for very long. Do you want to lose him?" Angela argued patiently.

Brennan sighed and leaned back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling as though asking for guidance. "I don't need a ceremony and a piece of paper to make a commitment to someone, Ange. Booth needs to understand that." She frowned. "Evidently he was serious when he said he'd keep asking. If he thinks sending me flowers is going to change my mind, he doesn't know me very well."

Angela tried to control her impatience with her friend's stubbornness. "Sweetie, of course he's gonna keep trying. There's a baby involved now. He isn't gonna want another one of his children raised without—wait a minute. He didn't ask you because you're pregnant, did he?"

"No, he didn't know when he asked me—the first time. My pregnancy has just made him even more determined. But I don't want to get married, especially if it's only to give my baby legitimacy." She looked at the roses thoughtfully. "I suppose I should call and thank him."

Angela managed to suppress a groan of frustration. She could be so stubborn! "Of course, you should. Although a bouquet like that deserves more than a phone call. You oughta grab that man and drag him home for a nooner," she suggested slyly.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for that, Ange. I still have to type a report on—"

"Whatever," Angela interrupted, completely at the end of her patience. "You know I love you, sweetie, but I'm beginning to think you don't deserve that man. He's a heart and soul kinda guy and if you're not careful, he's gonna give his heart and soul to some other lucky lady who's gonna appreciate him. If I were you, I'd think long and hard about compromising this time. You can't expect him to make all the sacrifices." She got up with a smile and headed for the door.

Brennan was frowning when Angela turned to look at her. She hoped the frown meant her brainiac friend was giving her advice some serious thought. She had a feeling things were going to go badly if Brennan didn't learn to bend a little.


	6. Chapter 6

A New Secret

Chapter 6

Standing at the vanity in her bathroom, she was carefully applying her makeup. It was Tuesday morning, the day after the rose delivery. She had called to thank him for them and he had made light of it, but neither of them mentioned the message on the card. The rest of the day had passed as usual and she was faintly puzzled. Why hadn't he pressed the issue? She waited for it, expected it, but their evening had been uneventful through dinner and he hadn't brought it up afterward as they were unwinding in the living room together.

Finished, she put her makeup away and opened the medicine cabinet to get her toothpaste. Sitting at eye level on the shelf was the ring box with a tiny Post-it note stuck to it: 'I love you. Marry me?' She laughed, leaning on the vanity and shaking her head. The man was inexorable—and creative too. She closed the cabinet, leaving the gift where it was. Let him play his game, she'd show him who was more stubborn.

On Wednesday morning she opened the lap drawer on her desk at the Jeffersonian and there it was again with another Post-it note: 'You know you want to marry me.' Slamming the drawer shut, she looked around. How did he get it in there? As far as she knew, he hadn't been by the lab since late last week.

Just then Angela popped in. "Hey, Bren, I have that simulation ready to show—" She broke off at the look on Brennan's face. "What is it?" she asked warily.

Brennan opened the drawer and pulled out the ring box and placed it on the desk as though it might explode. "Do you know how this got in my drawer?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

Angela sighed. "That depends—are you mad?"

Brennan tried to sustain the severe look, but failed as a smile quirked her lips. "So, he enlisted you as his accomplice. He's more devious than I gave him credit for. Here," she said, holding out the box. "You can give it back to him and tell him nice try."

Angela took the box and stood turning it in her hands. "C'mon, Bren. How can you hold out on him? He's obviously nuts about you."

Brennan shook her head. "I know that, Ange, and I love him too. But that's not enough reason to go against my beliefs," she said firmly. "Now, can we go look at that simulation?"

Thursday evening she was making dinner when she opened the spice cabinet and found it sitting on the shelf with a new Post-it note: 'You love me. Marry me?' Snatching the box, she stalked into the bedroom and looked around for a place to stash it. Opening her lingerie drawer, she pushed it under her nightgowns. No way would he find it in there.

When he came home, he came into the kitchen with a smile. "Hey, honey," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her. She slipped her arms up around his neck and reached up to kiss him.

"Mmmm," she said, pulling back to study him. His face was devoid of any trace of guilt. She smiled. Damn, he was good.. "Dinner's almost ready. How was your day?" she asked, stroking her hands down his chest.

"Fine." He inhaled deeply. "Mmmm, that smells wonderful. What is it?" he asked, leaning past her to lift the lid from the pot.

"Shrimp gumbo," she said, turning to tap his wrist so he'd put the lid back. "It still needs to simmer at least ten more minutes. I'll be back in a minute." She went down the hall to the bathroom and closed the door.

Booth opened the spice cabinet and peeked in. He grinned at first as he saw that the ring box was gone, then he frowned. 'Wait, where is it? She would have said something if she was accepting it. I wonder where she put it.' He quietly searched cabinets until the bathroom door opened. By the time she returned to the kitchen, he was leaning casually against the counter. He smiled at her lazily.

"So, how was your day?" he asked and she smiled at him.

"Fine. We should have an ID on that John Doe by tomorrow, then you can get started on your investigation." As she spoke, she glanced around. He was doing something while she was gone, she just knew it. She looked up at him again, but his look was still completely innocent. He was really good at this.

On Friday she opened the center console in her car to get her parking garage card and there it was again. This time the note read: 'I'm wearing you down. Marry me?' She was laughing as she pulled into the garage.

She went into the lab for a few hours on Saturday. Booth had let her go alone with the understanding that if she wasn't home in three hours, he'd come and get her. She kept an eye on the clock because she didn't want him to make good on his threat. She was wrapping things up when Scott, the security guard on duty, came by her office.

"Dr. Brennan, a delivery guy just brought by this package and said it was urgent that I give it to you straight away. Said he picked it up from the FBI building."

Brennan sighed. "Okay, Scott, thanks." She waited for him to leave before tearing open the envelope. She shook the ring box out into her hand. 'I have lots of these notes. Marry me?' Chuckling, she shook her head. He was inventive, that's for sure. Maybe it was time to have another talk with Special Agent Seeley Booth.

Her amusement had waned by the time she got home. He was lounging on the couch, watching football. Dropping her stuff by the door, she walked over and took the remote, hitting the mute button.

"Hey! I'm watching—" he protested, breaking off at the look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked warily.

She tossed the ring box onto his lap. "We need to talk," she said briefly, shrugging out of her coat and tossing it over the arm of the chair. Folding her arms, she stood staring at him.

"Okay," he said, watching her carefully, trying to gauge her mood. Putting his feet on the floor, he sat up. "What about?"

"Getting married," she said. Booth pushed down the wave of triumph that swept through him. It was too soon to tell where this was going.

"Why don't you sit down?" he asked softly. She perched on the corner of the couch. He waited for her to look at him.

When she did, she smiled a bit, which gave him hope. "You're very persistent, I'll give you that," she said wryly. "I almost let it continue just to see how creative you could be. But I think it's time we settled it."

Booth swallowed, dreading what she was about to say. Had he misjudged the depth of her feelings for him? Was she about to break up with him? Memories of the breakup with Rebecca came out of nowhere, shaking him to the core. He couldn't let that happen again. If she needed him to back off in order for them to stay together, he'd deal with it. He just didn't want to lose her.

"Look, babe, don't sweat it, I was just—" he began, but she held up her hand.

"My biggest fear is abandonment," she began, looking away. "Getting involved with you, letting you inside my walls, has been the hardest thing I've ever done." Her voice cracked and she stopped and cleared her throat. "I know here," she put her hand on her heart, "that you love me and would never leave me. It took me a long time to get to the point where I could let myself take a chance. I've had a hard time getting my head to let go of that old fear. You helped me do that," she finished softly.

Booth stared at her, hardly daring to hope. "What are you saying?" he finally asked when it seemed she wasn't going to go on.

"I'll marry you," she whispered, meeting his eyes steadily.

Joy swept through him, tempered by the fact that she didn't seem happy. Why wasn't she happy? He forced himself to remain still, though he couldn't stop the smile that spread over his face.

A faint smile curved her lips. "Angela reminded me that relationships are about compromise. So, even though I still think it's an antiquated, empty ceremony, for you, I'll do it." Moving closer to him, she touched his face. "I love you and I want you to be happy because you make me happy, happier than I've ever been in my whole life."

He laughed, relieved, and snatched her close, burying his face in her fragrant hair. She clutched at his back, laughing through tears. They stayed that way for a long time, then he pulled back to look down at her. He couldn't seem to stop grinning. "You mean it?" She nodded. "Really?" Another nod. "Oh, wait 'til I tell Angela! She's gonna flip!"

Brennan stiffened a bit in mock anger. "I don't appreciate you conspiring against me with my best friend."

Booth smiled down at her, unrepentant. "All's fair in love and war, babe," he said.

"That rule was obviously made by a man," she said, smiling up at him. Booth was too happy to argue with her.


	7. Chapter 7

A New Secret

Chapter 7

Monday morning Brennan was at her computer answering emails when Angela rushed in, fairly vibrating with excitement. Brennan smiled at her friend, bracing herself for the barrage of questions. Booth had called Angela on Saturday after their talk, bursting with the news.

"Sweetie!" Angela exclaimed with a huge grin, coming behind the desk to grab her into a bone-crushing hug. Finally letting go, she perched on the corner of the desk. "Let me see!" she demanded, grabbing Brennan's left hand. Leaning close she examined the ring so carefully, Brennan expected her to pull out a loupe so she could do a more thorough appraisal.

Booth had chosen the ring carefully. He knew a traditional solitaire would be impractical, given the number of times she had to pull on latex gloves over the course of a work day. With that in mind he had chosen a beautiful gold band with a recessed center diamond, surrounded by twin swirls of tiny sapphires and diamonds above and below.

"Ooooh, sweetie, it's beautiful! He has really good taste. So, do you love it?" she asked as Brennan took her hand back. Brennan held out her hand and looked at the ring, smiling.

"Yeah," she said softly. Her face reflected calm contentment. "He said the sapphires reminded him of my eyes," she said with a fond smile.

"Mmmm, who knew he was such a romantic?" Angela asked wistfully. Her smile turned thoughtful. "What made you say yes?" she asked gently.

Brennan looked at her and sighed. "I thought about what you said, that relationships are about compromise, and I knew how much it meant to him." She firmed her lips. "I decided it was petty to withhold that happiness from him, when he makes me so happy. Sometimes I forget for long stretches, like when I'm working, but then it hits me all over again and I'm amazed that he loves me." Her tears filled with tears suddenly. "He loves me, as stubborn as I am, as unlovable as I can be sometimes. And beyond all reason, beyond all logic, I suddenly knew, deep down—he'd never leave me."

Angela gave her a mock stern look. "Took you long enough to realize it," she teased. "I've known for a long time. He's a forever kinda guy, heart and soul."

Brennan swiped at the tears that had fallen. "After that, my reasons just didn't seem that important any more."

Angela grinned. "Damn straight! So, when's the wedding? Do we have time to do it up right?" she asked. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"You and Booth, I swear! He wanted a church wedding with all the traditional trimmings, but I told him I draw the line at the church. So he wants to get married in his parent's home."

Angela clasped her hands, trying to contain her excitement. "That sounds great. You haven't said when."

"Four weeks. Is that enough time?" Not that she really cared about all the little stuff Angela was going to insist were essential to the success of the wedding, but she didn't want to disappoint her friend.

Angela frowned. "It's gonna be tight, but it's doable. Leave it to me, I'll make sure it's perfect. First thing we have to do is find your dress."

"Shouldn't we wait? We don't know how big I'm going to be by then—"

"Don't worry about that, I have a particular style in mind that will be great no matter how big you get. How about we knock off a little early and go looking today?"

Brennan sighed. "I don't know, Ange, we still haven't finished examining that murder victim—" she began.

Angela wasn't going to stand for any excuses. "C'mon, Bren, there's no time to lose. We have a wedding to plan in just four weeks." She hopped off the desk and almost skipped to the door. She turned, the grin back full on. "This is gonna be fun!"

Brennan smiled and shook her head. What had she gotten herself into?

BBBBBBBBB

To Brennan's relief, they finally found the right dress in the fourth shop they visited. She'd lost count of the number of dresses they'd looked at, though this was only the third she'd actually tried on. Angela seemed to have a very clear idea of what she was looking for, and Brennan let her guide her. She didn't really care what the dress looked like—she trusted her friend's judgment—she just wanted to get it over with. Angela made a last adjustment and stood back, grinning like an idiot.

The dress was ecru and had an empire waist. The underskirt was a straight satin sheath and the overskirt was made of exquisitely wrought lace that fell softly to her feet. The bodice had a straight neckline with spaghetti straps overlaid with a lace jacket with delicate cap sleeves and a standup collar that accentuated her slender neck.

Angela sighed happily. "It's perfect," she declared.

Brennan fingered the lace and turned to gaze at her reflection. She had to admit, it was really lovely. And the empire waist would hide her condition. Not that she was ashamed of it, but she preferred not to accentuate it either. She smiled at Angela's reflection.

"Yes, it is. I love it."

Angela turned to the saleslady who was hovering nearby. "We'll take it."


	8. Chapter 8

A New Secret

Chapter 8

Three weeks sped by in a flurry of preparations. Angela had completely taken over, for which Brennan was grateful. Personally, she wouldn't have known where to begin if it were left to her. The importance of flowers, music and other frills escaped her. She had very little time to worry about it as the lab was suddenly very busy. In spite of Booth's best efforts, she was spending far too much time at the lab trying to keep up.

It was Friday night at the lab and the wedding was a week away. Brennan straightened from the exam table, stretching with her fists at the small of her back. Her belly was barely rounded and it was far too early for the backaches usually associated with pregnancy, but long hours of bending over the table had definitely taken their toll. She rolled her head around on her neck to work out the kinks. 'Maybe I should call it a night,' she thought wearily. Suddenly the card reader beeped.

"Bones, pack it in," Booth commanded. "C'mon, I'm here to take you home." She turned to find him looking at her impatiently. Her temper rose at his high-handedness, forgetting that just moments ago she'd been thinking of going home.

"I can't leave yet. I need to finish the preliminary on these remains," she protested. Booth grabbed her by the shoulders and started moving her off the platform and toward her office. Brennan resisted the first couple yards, but gave up as it seemed to have no affect.

"They'll be there when you come back," he said patiently, pulling off her lab coat as they went. She fisted her hands to thwart him, but he just rolled the sleeves off over them.

"Booth, I can't leave those remains out—" she argued.

"I've already talked to one of the lab techs, I think his name is Ron, and he's going to take care of it."

She planted her feet stubbornly when they reached her desk, folding her arms across her chest and tilting her chin at him. Booth would have found it cute if he wasn't so concerned about her. She'd been pushing herself hard these past weeks and it showed in the lines of exhaustion on her face and the circles under her eyes. He was already plotting how to keep her home all weekend.

"I will carry you out of here if I have to," he said ominously.

Brennan almost growled with frustration, but she could tell by the look on his face that there was no use arguing. "Fine. But I'm coming in tomorrow," she warned. Booth just smiled and grabbed her coat as she pulled her bag from her drawer. One battle at a time, he told himself as she snatched the coat from his hand and marched past him.

BBBBBBBB

The pains started shortly after two a.m. Brennan jerked awake as the first one tore through her abdomen. Moaning, she curled into a ball, clutching her stomach. Booth bolted upright, suddenly wide awake. "Wha--?" he mumbled. Brennan moaned again and Booth bent over her. "Babe? What's wrong?" He reached and turned on the lamp. She was pale and shivering and her forehead was cold and clammy.

He went into a panic. This was bad. He pulled back the covers and his heart stopped as he saw the blood. Grabbing the phone, he called her OB, then jumped up, dressing quickly. Blindly grabbing the first pair of sweats he could find, Booth sat her up and gently dressed her. By focusing on each task, he was able to keep from losing control as fear threatened to overwhelm him.

He called Angela as he pulled up to the emergency room entrance. She assured him she'd be there as soon as possible. He had used the siren and broken every speed limit all the way, praying more fervently than he'd ever prayed before.

Angela and Hodgins found him pacing the waiting room. Wordlessly embracing him, she was shaken to the core as he clutched her tightly. Pulling back, she was shocked even more as he swiped away tears.

"The doctor's with her now," he said hoarsely. He looked away, blinking rapidly.

"It's going to be alright, Booth," she said softly, squeezing his forearm in sympathy. "Brennan's one of the strongest women I know."

Booth looked at her desperately and her heart broke at the shattered look in his eyes. "You wanna hear the worse thing?" he asked. He didn't wait for a reply. "I've been pacing in here, making bargains with God to save her. If he has to take someone, let it be the baby." He choked on the last word as a lump blocked his throat. "Offering my child's life as a bargaining chip 'cuz I could survive losing the baby if I didn't lose her too." He hung his head, deeply ashamed.

Hodgins spoke up when it seemed Angela was unable. "Hey, man, don't beat yourself up over it. Everyone does that in situations like this."

Booth dropped into a hard plastic chair, putting his head into his hands. "I knew she was working too hard. She always does and I tried to tell her, but she wouldn't listen." He looked up with tears in his eyes. "I should have made her listen. I should have made her rest more and work less—"

"I'm sure you tried," Angela cut in gently. "You and I know how stubborn she can be. More stubborn than you are."

He dropped his head back into his hands. Angela and Hodgins stood awkwardly, helpless to ease his pain. Suddenly there was the sound of a throat clearing at the door.

"Which one of you is Seeley Booth?" the doctor asked.

Booth rose and stepped forward. "I am. How is she?" he asked urgently.

"She's going to be fine. The bleeding has stopped and I put her on an IV. I want to keep her at least until mid afternoon to make sure she's stable."

Angela asked the question Booth wanted to ask but wasn't able to. "How's the baby?"

The doctor's look was grim. "She didn't lose the baby, but it's still a bit early to know if she'll carry it to term. Bleeding in the first trimester isn't rare, but the cramping has me concerned. I want her on complete bed rest for at least a month. At that time I'll do a complete examination. If I'm satisfied that the baby is doing well, I may allow her to resume her activities on a limited basis." He smiled, trying to be positive. "She's a strong lady and it looks like the baby is going to be too."

"When can I see her?" Booth asked with a crack in his voice. Angela reached out and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Right away. She's awake now. I'll have the nurse show you the way."

She was dozing when he moved quietly to the side of her bed, but her eyes fluttered open as she sensed his presence. He bent and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Hi," she whispered hoarsely, a tentative smile on her face.

He smiled softly. "Hi. How do you feel?" he asked quietly.

"Mmm, okay. I didn't lose the baby," she said on a sob. A pair of tears traced their way into the hair at her temples. Booth wondered how that made her feel. Was she glad? Disappointed? He had to know.

"I know. Are you glad?" he asked hesitantly, unsure he wanted to know the answer.

"Yes," she replied on a long shuddering sigh. "I—I really want this baby, Seeley," she said in a stronger voice.

He smiled in relief. "Me too."

"I'm sorry," she said sadly. Booth slipped his hand into hers.

"It's okay—" he began. She shook her head sharply.

"No, it's not," she insisted. "I thought I could work as hard as I always do, driving myself to the limit. I almost killed our baby." More tears fell. Booth's heart squeezed. She was so hard on herself.

"You're too damned stubborn for your own good, but if you're careful, the doctor says the baby will be fine. Maybe now you'll listen to me when I tell you that you need to rest," he teased gently.

She blinked, sending more tears down her temples, her lips trembling. "I love you," she whispered.

He leaned down to kiss her lips softly. "I love you more," he said tenderly. Her eyes drifted shut as exhaustion claimed her once more. Booth hardly left her side all night.


	9. Chapter 9

A New Secret

Chapter 9

Three days. Three days of boredom. Three days of Booth hovering until she wanted to scream. Three days of inane TV programs (Booth had bought her a small TV and installed it in the bedroom) and reading forensics journals which should have absorbed her completely but instead left her feeling restless. She would have completely lost her mind if it weren't for her laptop. She was able to keep up with emails and work on her latest novel from the dubious comfort of her bed. Spending 24/7 in bed might sound great, but it had lost its charm quickly. By the end of the first day she was ready to throw something heavy at the TV. She called Angela instead.

Angela had been wonderful. Not that Booth wasn't sweet, but somehow her best friend seemed to understand how hard this was for her. Angela had endless stories of the happenings at the lab, but she also knew when to be quiet and listen when Brennan needed to vent. And today she was coming by for lunch, bringing her favorite Thai food. Brennan looked at the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes. Only ten. She sighed heavily. What to do for two hours?

Pulling her laptop onto her lap, she logged onto the internet and started researching for her novel. She was distracted by a popup advertising an online game. She didn't usually go for that kind of thing, but boredom prompted her to click on it. She was taken to a website that offered a free trial for a game called Bejewelled. It required no real intellectual effort to play, but she was shortly quite absorbed in the simple game. That's what she was doing when Angela showed nearly two hours later.

"Hi, sweetie," Angela sang out as she let herself in. Laden with bags, she went into the bedroom and found her friend frowning at her laptop. "Bren? Is something wrong?"she asked as she continued to stare at the screen.

Brennan shot her a distracted look. "Hmmm? Oh, hi Ange."

Angela leaned over to look at the screen. "I didn't think you liked computer games," she said.

Brennan hit a button and closed the game, setting the computer aside. "I don't. I just—there was this popup and it looked interesting and I was so bored—"

Angela smiled. "It's okay, sweetie. Whatever you need to do to keep from going nuts is perfectly alright. Now, are you hungry?"

Brennan smiled gratefully. "Starved. What did you bring?"

Angela started pulling cartons from the bags. All of her favorites were there and they were soon munching companionably with Angela sitting cross-legged on the bed facing Brennan.

"So, I'm sure you're going crazy with boredom," Angela commented, taking in the books and the TV and laptop.

Brennan rolled her eyes and swallowed the bite in her mouth. "I always wished for more time to devote to my writing and answering emails and requests for consultations, but this isn't what I had in mind," she said ruefully. Angela was chewing, watching her thoughtfully. Brennan looked down at the carton of rice she held. "Ange?" she asked softly.

"Hmmm?" Angela asked, sensing her friend was about to tell her something she hadn't shared with Booth. She waited patiently as Brennan struggled to find the courage to speak.

When her friend looked up, Angela was startled to see tears in her eyes. "Am I a terrible person?" she asked hoarsely.

Angela frowned, puzzled. "Of course not! Sweetie, what makes you ask that?"

A tear slipped down Brennan's cheek and she took a shuddering breath. "I nearly lost the baby by working too hard and now that I have to stay in bed for a whole month, I feel—frustrated that I can't do anything—"

Angela sighed and set aside her carton of moo shoo pork. Scooting to sit beside Brennan, she put her arms around her and held her while she cried quietly. Her heart squeezed. She was so hard on herself. When the tears had subsided, she pulled back to look into her friend's ravaged face.

"Sweetie, you are not a terrible person. These feelings are normal—"

Brennan dashed the tears from her cheeks angrily. "Maybe I don't deserve this baby, don't deserve Booth—"

"Don't say that!" Angela protested. "Of course you do. Give yourself a break, Bren. This would rattle anyone. What makes you think you should be immune?" Brennan firmed her lips stubbornly. "I'm not just saying this to make you feel better, sweetie. This is absolutely normal." Brennan's eyes met hers and Angela's heart went out to her. "Have you talked to Booth about this?" she asked, even though she already suspected the answer.

Brennan shook her head. "I can't. He's—so excited about the baby and he's been so wonderful caring for me—I just can't tell him—"

Angela sighed. "When are you going to learn to trust him with everything, Bren? He loves you so much, warts and all. Don't you know you can do no wrong where he's concerned?"

Brennan tried to smile. "I guess so. I just couldn't handle it right now if he were to turn away from me."

Angela's look turned stern. "Give the man some credit. I think he can handle these emotions of yours."

Brennan looked away, but a moment later looked at her friend again steadily. "You're probably right. I'll think about it."

Angela smiled and squeezed her hand. "It'll be okay, you'll see." She picked up her carton of moo shoo pork again and Brennan resumed eating too. Angela wondered if Dr. Wyatt made house calls. She decided to make it her mission to find out.

BBBBBBBBB

Dr. Wyatt arrived at one the next afternoon.

"Thanks for coming, Dr. Wyatt," Angela said softly, even though she knew Brennan couldn't hear.

"You did inform her that I was coming, didn't you?" he asked suspiciously.

Angela raised her eyebrows innocently. "Mmmm, I'm sure she'll be glad to see you," she said evasively.

Gordon narrowed his eyes at her. "Really? Well, I suppose we'll find out."

Angela smiled and led the way to the bedroom.

Brennan looked up from her book. "Who was at the door, Ang—" she broke off as she saw who was with her. "Hello, Dr. Wyatt. What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were confined to bed and I thought I'd come by to see what I could do to alleviate your boredom."

Brennan looked from him to Angela. "You asked him here, didn't you?"

Angela looked at her watch. "Wow, look at the time. I really need to get back to the lab. I have a facial reconstruction to finish." With a smile and a wave she was gone.

An awkward silence fell, then Brennan remembered her manners. "Won't you have a seat?"

He smiled and pulled a chair up beside the bed. "Thank you, Dr. Brennan—why don't you call me Gordon and I'll call you Temperance, hmmm? That way we won't get tangled up in all the doctor this and doctor that."

Brennan straightened the covers nervously, smiling tentatively. "Okay." She knew why Angela had asked him to come, but she wasn't sure she was ready to talk about her problems to a virtual stranger. 'Wait 'til I talk to Ange again,' she thought darkly.

"How have you been feeling?" Gordon asked kindly.

Brennan's eyes shifted to meet his and she was relieved to find nothing but polite concern there. 'Maybe he hasn't come to psychoanalyze me,' she thought desperately, 'Yeah, right. Like he'd visit someone he barely knew just to see how they were doing.'

"Pretty good. My back's been a bit sore. Don't let anyone tell you bed rest is fun," she said ruefully.

"Angela tells me you've been a tad despondent of late," Gordon probed as he studied her like a fascinating variety of insect.

Brennan controlled the urge to roll her eyes. "I wouldn't say despondent, no, I'd say more like somewhat depressed," she corrected.

Gordon frowned thoughtfully. "Hmmm, I see. Yes, I believe it's called 'the baby blues'," he said. "Common malady in pregnant women."

"That's postpartum depression," she corrected.

He nodded. "True. But it's not unusual in pregnant women who have been confined to bed." He sat back, propping his left ankle on his right knee. "Can you describe your feelings?" he probed.

She blew a breath out. Maybe if she cooperated he'd leave. "I'm irritable and restless. I get bored easily."

"Have you been feeling resentment toward the baby?" he asked gently.

She stiffened. That hit too close to the mark. "Of course not!" she said sharply. "What kind of monster do you think I am—"

"Come now, Temperance, you can't tell me you don't mind having your activities curtailed. Being forced to confine yourself to this room. It's only natural that you might feel some resentment toward the cause—"

"It's just a baby! Not even born yet. I haven't even felt it move," she said in a curiously sad voice. "What kind of person would resent an unborn child?" she asked nobody in particular.

Gordon nodded, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So, not only do you feel resentment, you feel guilty for feeling resentment."

"Stop it!" she suddenly shouted. "It's irrational!"

"Emotions are frequently irrational, Temperance. So are people." He squinted at her, then leaned forward and lowered his voice. "You need to allow yourself to be irrational, emotional, without berating yourself for your own humanity."

She pursed her lips as she considered his words. "I hate psychology," she muttered grumpily. Gordon continued to watch her steadily. "I want this baby," she finally whispered, as though he had accused her otherwise.

Gordon smiled. "There's no doubt about that. Now, why don't you let go of the anger and resentment and focus on giving this child a healthy start in life?" She nodded and he stood, putting the chair back where it was. "Oh, one more thing. Talk to Agent Booth, tell him about your feelings. I think you'll find he's your greatest ally."

Brennan sighed. "I will. Thank you, Dr.—Gordon."

"My pleasure. Maybe you could name the baby after me?" he teased.

She smiled wryly. "No offense, but I think Booth would object."

"I'm sure you're right. Ah, well, I suppose I'll have to secure my immortality in the usual way." Brennan raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, not through procreation. I'm talking about writing a nobel prize winning thesis." He chuckled, amused at his own humor. With a final farewell, he let himself out, leaving Brennan with a lot to think about. She felt better than she had in weeks.


	10. Chapter 10

A New Secret

Chapter 10

Her opportunity came after dinner that evening. Booth was stretched out on the bed beside her in nothing but a pair of jeans. It was distracting, but if she kept her eyes on his face when she talked to him she found she was able to keep her mind on their conversation. Most of the time. The doctor had advised them to refrain from making love until the month was over, but somehow her hormones hadn't gotten the message. She sighed as her eyes wandered to his very nicely developed pectorals.

Booth cleared his throat and her eyes bounced back up to his. He wore that cocked smile that always made her pulse race. "Do you want me to put my shirt back on?" he teased.

Blushing and looking away, she tucked the covers more firmly around her hips just to give her hands something to do. It was going to be a very long month in more than one way. "No, that's okay. I can control myself."

He chuckled even as he wondered if he could say the same for himself. When she continued to fidget, he became concerned. Something else was bothering her. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked softly.

Taking her courage in both hands, she looked him in the eye. "I need to tell you something and I hope you won't get mad," she said hesitantly.

Booth pushed himself up higher against the headboard, his smile fading at her serious tone. "Of course I'm not gonna get mad. What is it?"

Brennan forced herself to hold his gaze. "I've been feeling—depressed lately," she confessed softly. "Dr. Wyatt says it's normal and that I should talk to you about it."

Booth frowned. "You talked to Gordon-Gordon?" She nodded. "When? Today?" Another nod. He watched the struggle on her face for a moment. "How long have you felt this way?"

"Since halfway through the first day. And that's not all." Booth raised his eyebrows in question. "I—was feeling resentful of the baby, too."

Booth's heart ached at the guilt on her face. He took her hand in his, stoking her knuckles with his thumb. "Dr. Wyatt's right, it is normal for you to feel that way. You're not used to lying around. I'm sure you're going crazy being stuck in this bed all day." Leaning over, he kissed her tenderly.

Brennan's breath caught in her throat at the touch of his lips. He hadn't kissed her like that in days. Her lips parted on a shudder and her pulse pounded as his tongue made a brief foray into her mouth. Too soon he pulled back. She bit back a groan of frustration. 'Down girl,' she told herself sternly. She went still as she suddenly felt a gentle fluttering low in her belly. She smiled as it happened again.

Booth was mesmerized by the look of wonder on her face and her eyes had a faraway look. "What is it, babe?" he asked.

She wordlessly took his hand and pressed it to her abdomen. He waited for a long moment, watching the soft smile that curved her lips, and then there it was, a gentle fluttering against his hand. His grin was huge.

"I never imagined it would feel this way," she whispered.

The awe in her voice brought a lump to his throat. He'd missed this with Rebecca. He was so glad he wouldn't miss it with Bones. The flutter came again. "Boy, he's pretty strong," Booth said proudly.

"What makes you think it's a boy?" she asked indignantly.

He smirked. "It's a well known fact that the father determines the sex of the child. My parents had two boys, I have Parker, so chances are pretty strong it's a boy."

"Is that so? What if it's a girl?" she asked, just because she loved to argue with him.

His smile softened. "Then I hope she has her mother's beautiful eyes."

She smiled too. "And I hope she has your charm smile," she said. She leaned in to kiss him just because he was so hard to resist. This time she was able to keep it brief.

Booth sighed happily and pulled her into his arms. Brennan sighed in contentment. "I love you, Booth," she murmured against his chest.

"I love you more, Bones," he replied, hugging her tightly.

She pulled away so she could look him in the eye. "I really want this baby," she said softly.

"I know you do," he said. "I do too."

BBBBBBB

Angela brought lunch again the next day. Brennan gladly set aside the book she was reading as she came in.

"Hey, sweetie, how's my favorite little mama?" Angela said with a huge grin. Brennan's heart lifted. It was amazing how her friend could light up a room just by coming in.

"Starving. What did you bring?" she asked, pushing herself up against the pillows.

"Calzones and salad from Giovanni's. Be right back." She was back a moment later with plates and flatware. Soon they were happily eating.

"So, I've been busy with moving the wedding to next month. I finally got approval from the board of directors of the Jeffersonian to use the garden there. I'm not sure, but I think Hodgins may have had a hand in that."

Brennan wiped her mouth. "I really appreciate all that you've done, Angela. It's really sweet of you—"

"Are you kidding? I'm having a blast! Maybe I missed my calling. I should have been a wedding planner," she said, then seemed to rethink that idea. "Then again, I don't think I'd want to deal with strung out brides to be and bossy mothers…okay, forget I said that. I think I'll stick to my art, its much more relaxing."

"We could have still had it at Booth's parents house—" Brennan argued.

"Absolutely no traveling, doctor's orders, Bren," Angela said firmly.

"Oh, come on. It isn't that far, I could have made the trip—" she protested. She hated being treated like an invalid. It hadn't even been a week and she was already thoroughly tired of it.

Angela frowned. "Booth wouldn't allow it even if you could change my mind. Give it up, sweetie, its all arranged."

Brennan sighed. "Fine. At least the dress is already selected. You think it'll still fit?"

"Of course it will. We'll take you for a final fitting right before the wedding." They ate quietly for a few moments, but Angela couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"Did you talk to Booth?"

Brennan nodded, smiling softly. "He was so understanding. I can't remember why I was afraid to tell him." She sipped her iced tea. "We felt the baby move," she confided happily.

Angela laughed. "Really? That's wonderful! Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy for you."

Brennan's eyes were shining with happiness. "Thank you." After a moment she sobered. "Angela? How do women do it? Balance a career and a husband and children?"

"Well, sweetie, I can't speak from experience, but if anyone can do it, you can," Angela said with certainty.

Brennan frowned. "How do you know?"

Angela reached out and squeezed her hand. "You're the smartest, strongest woman I know. You'll work it out. You just need to trust yourself. Besides, you've got a wonderful man who is completely nuts about you. He's a terrific father. I think you're going to find it much easier than you might expect."

Brennan smiled fondly. "What would I do without you?"

Angela giggled. "You'd lead a very dull life, completely immersed in your bones and spending lonely nights reading yourself to sleep."

Brennan rolled her eyes. Sad to say, Ange was probably right.


	11. Chapter 11

A New Secret

Chapter 11

The day of the wedding dawned bright and sunshiny. Brennan's eyes popped open as a shaft of sunlight pierced the bedroom drapes to fall on her face. Rolling to her back, she stretched and yawned. The fluttering in her belly told her the baby was awake too and she rubbed the area with both hands, a soft smile on her face.

That's how Booth found her when he came in. The look on her face stopped him just inside the door. Her eyes had a faraway look as her hands cradled the slight swell of her abdomen. She had never looked so lovely.

She looked up at him and her smile broadened. "Come here!" she demanded in a whisper as though the soft movements might stop if the baby heard her. He strode to the bed and dropped on the edge of the mattress, placing his large hand on her lower stomach. The fluttering they had felt just weeks ago were now stronger. They shared a sweet smile and Booth leaned down to kiss her softly.

"So, this is the big day," he said, his eyes probing hers, trying to get a read on her mood.

"Yeah," she said, and something in her voice made his heart skip a beat. Please, God, don't let her change her mind.

"What is it, Temperance?" he asked hesitantly. Part of him wanted her to be sure this was right, while another part dreaded that she wouldn't go through with it.

"Nothing," she said. But he knew she was lying. Her eyes had dropped away from his and she was picking at the blanket.

Lifting her chin, he made her look at him. "Uh-uh, I know better. C'mon, you can tell me," he urged even as he hoped it wasn't what he feared.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked uncertainly. "There are so many things we don't agree on and we argue a lot and it's going to affect our working relationship," she said all in a rush.

"I'm absolutely sure," he said steadily. "I love you and I can't wait to call you my wife. Don't worry about all that other stuff. We'll work it all out, together. Just promise me something."

Uh-oh, here it comes, she thought. The part where he gives me his conditions. "What?"

"No matter what, if something's bothering you, talk to me about it, okay? I can't help you with something I don't know about."

She smiled, relieved. "Okay, but you need to give me some time. I'm not used to depending on someone else for anything. It's going to take some adjustment."

He leaned forward and kissed her lingeringly. "Of course. Now, how about I make breakfast while you take your shower? Angela's gonna be here in an hour to help you get ready."

Brennan stopped him when he would have got up. "Remember, I love you, Seeley Booth," she said huskily. "No matter what happens."

He pushed down the alarm that rose in him at that last statement. "I know. I love you too," he said. She smiled for him and he left the room. The smile faded as her fears threatened to overwhelm her again. 'Hurry up, Angela, I need you,' she thought desperately.

BBBBBB

Angela smiled brightly when Booth opened the door to her. "Hey, how's the groom this lovely morning?" she asked cheerily. Her arms were laden with the garment bag holding the wedding and maid of honor dresses, makeup case and tote bag. Taking the garment bag, Booth ushered her in and shut the door.

"I'm great. You're just what Bones needs. I think she's having wedding day jitters," he confided quietly.

"Perfectly normal," she reassured him. "Don't you worry, I'll take care of her."

Booth smiled in relief. "I knew you would. She's eating breakfast. I'm gonna grab my tux and gear and get out of your way." He headed back to the bedroom.

Angela swept into the kitchen. Brennan was picking at a bagel smeared with cream cheese, her expression thoughtful. "Hi, sweetie! How's the bride this morning?" Angela asked with a huge grin.

Brennan mustered a smile for her. "Fine. I'm almost done here. Why don't you put the stuff in the bedroom?" 'Uh-oh,' Angela thought, 'Booth wasn't kidding. Time for a little Angela therapy.'

Booth came into the kitchen as Angela headed back to the bedroom with the stuff. He leaned down to kiss Brennan. "I'll see ya later," he said with a smile.

She smiled too. "Yeah, later. I love you," she said with a catch in her voice.

"I love you too," he said, his eyes searching hers, which had a sheen of tears. "Everything's gonna be fine," he said reassuringly. She firmed her lips and nodded.

When he was gone, she tried to eat another bite of her bagel, but couldn't get it past the lump in her throat. Angela came in as she took a sip of coffee to wash it down.

"What's wrong, Bren?" she asked gently as she sat down at the table.

Brennan looked away, trying to control the panic that was threatening to overwhelm her. Her lips quirked and she looked back at her best friend. "It's probably just a combination of raging hormones and wedding day jitters," she said wryly.

Angela sighed, impatient with her friend's attempt to make light of her feelings. "It's completely understandable, sweetie. You're getting married, a major step for any woman, but a huge one for you. Add to that having a baby, it's bound to cause some jitters."

Brennan's lips trembled. "What am I doing, Ange? I don't even believe in marriage!"

Angela reached over and squeezed her hand. "You're marrying the man you love because he wants to marry you more than anything. Do you think the ceremony and piece of paper are going to change the way you feel about him?" she asked softly.

"No," Brennan croaked.

"Then what's the problem?" Angela asked.

Brennan met her eyes and Angela could see the wheels turning in her brilliant mind. She could tell the moment she decided. Her back straightened and her lips firmed. "You're right, Ange. There is no problem."

Angela smiled with relief. "Great! Now, shall we go get ready? We've only got two hours to make ourselves gorgeous."

Brennan smiled the first genuine smile since Angela had arrived. "Yeah, let's get ready. I don't want to keep him waiting." Angela jumped up, excited now that the crisis seemed to have been averted. Brennan laughed as her friend grabbed her and hugged her. If there was any lingering doubt, she pushed it down firmly. She was going to marry Booth and have his baby. Everything was going to be fine.


	12. Chapter 12

A New Secret

Chapter 12

Booth stood in the front of the priest under the arch, facing the people who had gathered to watch them get married. His nervousness was escalating as the minutes ticked by and Angela and Bones didn't appear. He took another surreptitious look at his watch. 11:10—they were ten minutes late. He tried to tell himself it was okay, there was a very logical reason they hadn't appeared yet. People were starting to shift in their seats, looking back at the double glass doors they should be coming through, whispering to each other, staring at him. He shifted from one foot to the other as he pushed down the panic that was threatening to overwhelm him.

Hodgins was fidgeting next to him. Booth bent down a little as Hodgins leaned in to whisper. "Dude, want me to go see what the holdup is?"

Booth looked toward the double doors again. "Yeah," he whispered back, but before Hodgins could make a move, the doors opened and Angela appeared in the doorway, a smile on her face. Booth sighed with relief. He didn't know what the cause of the delay had been, but he was glad it seemed to have been resolved.

Angela was lovely in a deep burgundy satin gown with a sweetheart neckline and spaghetti straps, her hair gathered in a loose bun with baby's breath placed here and there and curled tendrils dripping down. She carried a tiny bouquet of creamy colored roses. As she approached, Booth saw there were tears standing in her eyes. His heart started slamming in his chest when Brennan appeared next.

Like Angela, her hair was gathered in a loose bun at her crown, curled tendrils trailing to her shoulders. She carried a larger bouquet of creamy roses and baby's breath. She wore a soft smile as she walked slowly, and her eyes locked with his. His heart was thudding in his ears as he watched her come closer.

Brennan kept her steps measured, even though she wanted to run the other way. Now that the moment had come, her insides were flip-flopping like crazy. Spots danced in front of her eyes and she realized she was holding her breath. Reminding herself to breathe deeply, she kept going, drawn by his eyes and the gentle smile he wore. 'I love him,' she reminded herself firmly and her steps faltered as the enormity of what she was about to do hit her. Her smile slipped and Booth's did too as she halted several feet from the flowered arch where the priest stood in front of Booth. Tears welled in her eyes as her resolve weakened.

"Bren!" came Angela's whisper. Her gaze slipped sideways to meet her friend's pleading eyes. Taking a deep steadying breath, Brennan continued, finally stopping beside Booth. Looking up at him, she blinked away the tears and gave him a reassuring smile. Pulling her hand through the crook of his elbow, he grinned and winked at her, then turned to face the priest. Booth had won that point. He didn't want to be married by a judge.

The priest smiled at them. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of…" As he droned on, Brennan darted a glance up at Booth, startled to find he was staring down at her. His eyes were soft with love and a smile kicked up one corner of his mouth and suddenly all of her doubts fell away. Everything was going to be fine.

"Do you, Seeley Booth, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, through sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, 'til death do you part?"

His eyes softened and a smile touched his lips. "I do," he said firmly.

"And do you, Temperance Brennan, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him, through sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, 'til death do you part?"

The tears were back, but this time they were tears of joy. "I do," she said softly, smiling.

"Then by the power vested in me by God and the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the priest finished with a broad smile.

Booth took her in his arms and gathered her close, his eyes shining with happiness. She leaned up to meet him and they kissed sweetly as the congregation burst into applause. Brennan would have broken it off then, but Booth gathered her closer and deepened the kiss until her senses were reeling. When he finally set her back from him, she was red and laughing and he stood there grinning down at her.

"We did it," he murmured, stunned at the realization that she was finally his wife.

"Yeah," she replied. "I love you, Seeley Booth," she whispered.

"I love you too, Temperance Brennan Booth," he replied and dropped another kiss on her sweet lips. Just then the baby moved and her happiness was complete. Everything was going to be more than fine.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Booth didn't get a chance to ask Brennan about the delay until they took the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. He looked down at her, but couldn't bring himself to say anything to dim the happiness that was shining in her eyes. Time enough for that later. He smiled, pulling her closer as the music started.

"Well, Mrs. Booth, how does it feel to be married?" he asked.

She smiled up at him for the benefit of their audience. "It's a bit soon to tell, Booth. Why don't you ask me again in a day or two? Or after our first argument?" she needled.

"Argument? What makes you think we're going to argue?" he teased. He knew better.

Brennan rolled her eyes but kept the smile in place. "Oh, please! We argued before we were married, that's one thing I'm sure isn't going to change," she said.

"Do you think we could enjoy a couple of days of marital harmony before we revert to our old ways?" he asked with a wry smile.

Stroking a hand up his shoulder to touch his neck above his collar, she leaned up to kiss him. "We'll see," she replied impishly.

Booth executed a quick turn then dipped her, hoping to throw her off-balance. She was laughing throatily when he righted her again. "I have a feeling my life with you is never going to be boring," he murmured, fascinated by the sparkle in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks.

"Is that good or bad?" she asked breathlessly. God, he was so handsome.

"Neither," he said illogically. "And both." He grinned at the puzzled look on her face. "Never mind," he said, then he sobered. "I love you," he said huskily.

Her smile faded too as she looked up at him. "I love you, too," she said with a catch in her voice. "It wasn't my fault," she said suddenly.

It was Booth's turn to look puzzled. "What wasn't?"

"The delay—the florist was caught in a traffic jam. I wanted to proceed without the flowers, but Angela insisted we couldn't have the ceremony without them. She can be very stubborn," she finished.

Booth nodded. "I know it. What about the pause before you got to the altar?" he asked, since she had brought up delays.

Her gaze dropped away from his. He dipped his head so he could look her in the eyes, surprised to find they were glistening with unshed tears. "Temperance? C'mon, you can tell me," he said reassuringly.

She took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Booth. I—this was hard for me. Putting aside my beliefs—" she broke off.

Booth waited, but it seemed she couldn't go on. There was something he needed to know. "What made you go through with it?" he asked.

She blinked rapidly, smiling. "You," she said softly. "You were standing there and I thought about how—solid—you are and somehow, in that moment, I knew you'd never do anything to hurt me. Then the baby moved and the certainty took root and I decided I'd rather be married to you than be alone."

Laughing as relief rushed through him, he pulled her into a tight hug. Her arms went up around his neck and she snuggled her face into his shoulder, blissfully happy. The baby moved between them and Booth rocked her in his arms.

They pulled apart a moment later at the sound of someone clearing their throat. They turned as one to find Zach standing awkwardly next to them. "Uh, Dr. Brennan, could I cut in? Hodgins says it's customary for the bride and groom to dance with other people after the first song. The fourth song just started."

Booth couldn't resist the temptation to harass him a bit. "True, Zach, but I really don't want to dance with you."

Zach blushed. "I was hoping I could dance with Dr. Brennan," he stammered.

Brennan smacked Booth in the arm. "Quit it, Booth! I'd love to dance with you, Zach," she said graciously. Booth reluctantly let her go and watched Zach dance away with her. He found Angela standing at his elbow.

"So, Booth, how about a dance?" she asked with a grin.

Booth smiled at her as he took her in his arms. "Okay, but only one. We don't want people to talk."

Angela sighed with mock regret. "Oh, sure, now you flirt, now that we're both unavailable. If you'd flirted with me two years ago, who knows what might have happened?" she teased, her smile at full wattage.

Booth sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, Angela, I'm afraid it just wasn't meant to be. You'll just have to settle for that squint you've hooked up with. I personally don't see the attraction—"

Angela smacked his arm playfully. "You leave my Hodgie alone. I'm gonna marry that man someday, if I ever track down my husband."

Booth smirked and shook his head. "Only you would get married to some bozo at a fire dance in Fiji—"

"Can we change the subject?" she asked desperately, glancing around to make sure nobody else was close enough to hear.

Booth shrugged. "Sure. You're the one brought it up." He looked over at Brennan and Zach. "Wonder what they're talking about?" he asked curiously. Brennan was looking up at Zach seriously as he spoke earnestly. As they watched, Brennan stiffened and looked angry. Angela frowned and shrugged.

"So, I just thought, now that you're married and having a baby, you might want to cut back on your hours—" Zach was saying.

Brennan stiffened in his arms. "I'm not cutting my hours!" she protested in a low, angry voice. "As soon as I return from maternity leave, I will resume my duties as usual," she insisted stubbornly.

Zach blushed, unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of her anger. "I-I'm sorry, I just thought you'd need me to cover for you—"

"I don't need your help!" she said a bit too loudly. She looked over to see Booth and Angela watching them with interest. She firmed her lips and glared up at Zach.

"Angela said the baby was probably going to take a lot of your time, so I just wanted you to know I'd be able to—" Zach stammered. He realized too late that this had been a bad time to discuss this.

"Can I cut in?" Booth asked in a dangerously soft voice. Zach stepped back, dropping his hands from her like she had burned him. Bright red, he mumbled something about getting some punch. Booth smoothly took her in his arms and started moving her toward the edge of the crowded dance floor. Brennan was practically seething, her cheeks flushed, her eyes flashing. Reaching the edge of the dance floor, he turned and led her through the tables, smiling and nodding to people as he made a beeline for the door. Out in the hall, he found a small anteroom and pulled her in, closing the door behind them.

"What did he say?" Booth asked, unsure he really wanted to know.

Brennan folded her arms and glared up at him. "I'm not cutting my hours," she said through her teeth.

Booth frowned. "I never said you had to."

That took the wind out of her sails. "Oh…well, I just didn't want you to think I'd be willing to cut back my hours…for the baby," she said. She stopped as she realized how that sounded. "Booth, do you think I'm going to be a good mother?" she asked in a small voice, looking away.

Booth grabbed her upper arms, shaking her a little to make her look up at him. "How can you ask that? Of course you're gonna be a good mother."

She blinked up at him. "How do you know?"

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "'Cuz you love me and you love our baby. Keep that in mind and you can't go wrong." She still looked uncertain. He reached up and stroked her cheek. "Hey, don't worry about it, babe. I'll be there to help. You know, I love our baby, too."

She tipped her head, pushing her cheek into his hand and closing her eyes. He leaned down to kiss her other cheek, making his way down to cover her lips with his. She sighed and leaned into him, opening her mouth to his kiss. Booth gathered her close, thrilled at the feeling of her warm and willing in his arms.

A soft knock on the door broke them apart. Booth grinned down at her as she straightened her dress and smoothed her hair. He opened the door a crack. Hodgins was standing there, grinning knowingly.

"Dude, people are asking for you two. Do ya think you could wait until later to start the wedding night?" he said in a low voice, glancing up and down the hall.

"We'll be right there. Why don't you get started on the toast?" Booth suggested, then closed the door. He turned to look at Brennan. "Okay now?" he asked her. She seemed to be calmer.

"Yes. Thank you," she said softly.

Taking her hand, he kissed her again, briefly, and they headed back to the reception. They tried to slip in unobtrusively, but the moment they appeared, there was a burst of applause and even a few whistles. Brennan smiled, blushing, and Booth chuckled as they made their way to the wedding party's table. She gave him a look when he held her chair for her and he gave her his best charm smile. Rolling her eyes, she sat. He took her hand and kissed her palm when he was seated, thinking once again that life with her would never be boring.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I wasn't going to do a 'wedding night' smutterfluff scene, but willgirl asked for it, so here it is. Chapter 15 will have the birth of the baby. Reviews are really appreciated.**

Chapter 14

Booth struggled through the door, carrying a loudly protesting Brennan.

"Put me down!" she demanded, clutching at him, sure he was going to drop her any minute.

Booth kicked the door shut, then carefully set her on her feet. "Now, that wasn't so bad was it?" he said, breathless both from carrying her and from laughing at her.

She glared up at him. "That has to be the most ridiculous custom—" she grumbled, straightening her dress.

Booth grinned. "Aw, c'mon, admit it, Bones. It was fun. And I didn't even drop you," he teased. He pulled her into his arms easily in spite of the fact that she was trying to fight him off. She finally gave up the struggle and looked up at him. She tried to maintain her stern look, but found it impossible in the face of his flirting. She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"It's a good thing I love you so much," she said. "I've flattened people for less."

Booth pulled her closer. "I love you more," he countered, lowering his head to kiss her.

She held him off for a moment to gaze into his eyes. "You may be right," she whispered, then moved the last little bit to kiss him sweetly. His breath caught as her arms snaked up around his neck and clutched him tightly and her lips parted on a moan. His mouth sipped at hers tenderly as his hands came up to thread into her hair, sending pins flying. He filled his hands with her soft hair, lifting it to press his face into it. He breathed in deeply, blissfully.

She pulled away from him and took his hand, wordlessly leading him to the bedroom. She slipped off the lace jacket and turned her back to him and lifted her hair, waiting for him to unbutton the twelve buttons that marched up the back of her dress. She shivered as his fingers brushed the soft skin of her back, and her head dropped forward as though it had become too heavy for her neck. Booth leaned down to press his lips to her nape, opening his mouth to taste her, sending goosebumps chasing over her skin. Smoothing his hands from her shoulders down her arms, the dress fell into a shimmering pool at her feet.

She turned and started on the buttons of his shirt, fingers moving nimbly. He unbuttoned the cuffs and shrugged out of it. Her mouth went dry as she looked at his chest like she'd never seen it before. And in a way, she hadn't, not in a long time. She supposed at some point she had become a bit inured to the sight of his well-defined body. She wondered how couples married twenty, thirty, forty years did it. Slept with the same partner night after night without getting bored. She lost her train of thought as his hands stroked up her sides to cup her breasts, pressing them up until they threatened to spill out of her bra. He deftly undid the clasp, pushing the cups aside to weigh them in his palms. His head dipped to fasten on a nipple and she sucked in a breath, her knees going weak. He caught her when she would have fallen, gently lowering her to the bed.

She watched as he quickly shed the rest of his clothes, her eyes running over every inch of him greedily. Her breathing picked up as the bed dipped under his weight and he ran his hand up her hip, leaning his head on his hand as he watched her desire building. He drew her closer until they were flush against each other from chest to toes and leaned down to kiss her, his tongue slipping in to stroke hers. She sucked lightly, her hands clutching at his shoulders, hips writhing to get closer. The need was building, faster and faster, until all she knew was she wanted him inside.

Rising over her, he leaned on his elbows, framing her face with his hands as he entered her slowly, eyes locked with hers. She forgot to breathe as pleasure crashed through her. Booth kept the pace slow, determined to draw it out to the limit of his own control. She could feel it coming, building and growing until she was almost sobbing with the intensity. When it finally broke over her in waves, she held him to her tightly as tears slipped into the hair at her temples.

Booth held her tightly and rolled to his back, breathing heavily. Their lovemaking had been amazing before, but somehow being married added a new dimension to it. It was hard to define, but if asked to name it, he would say it was the fact that she was _his_ now. He slanted a glance at her. Of course, he couldn't tell her that. He smothered a chuckle as he imagined what her reaction would be. No, there was no way he was going to tell her that.

She drew in a deep breath and stretched a little, looking up at him with a pleased little smile. She laid her head on his chest, listening as his heartbeat returned to normal. Booth stroked her back slowly, amazed at the softness of her skin. She shivered a little as her nerves thrilled to his touch. Dropping a kiss on the crown of her head, he sighed and started to drift off.

"Booth?" she asked quietly. His hand paused midstroke.

"Hmmm?" he breathed. There was something in her tone that made him wary.

"Do you think we'll ever—get tired of each other?" she asked. She felt him shift to look down at her and she moved her head to meet his look.

"No," he replied seriously.

She frowned. "But how can we help it? Living together, day in and day out, familiarity—"

"No," he said more firmly. "It's not about novelty or excitement. It's about knowing someone as well as you know yourself, loving them so deeply and completely that you would do anything for them and you know they would do the same. It's about commitment and trust."

Her frown hadn't eased. "What makes you think we'll find that?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't. Nobody knows in the beginning. It grows over time, day by day, through troubles faced together and sorrows shared, through joys and successes." His hand cupped her cheek and his thumb stroked her bottom lip. "All I know for certain is that I love you and I want to take care of you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, then met his gaze steadily. "I love you and I want to take care of you too. I hope that it's enough."

He pulled her close to kiss her. "It will be," he murmured against her lips, and she quivered as passion took over and left her unable to think at all.

BBBBBBB


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Brennan straightened for the third time in ten minutes, fists at the small of her back, trying to ease the spasms there. It wasn't even three in the afternoon and she still needed to finish the preliminary on the remains they'd brought in this morning. The baby wasn't due for sixteen days yet, but for the past week or so she had been unusually tired, leaving every day before five. Angela glanced at her again and she stopped stretching and reached for a probe, pretending everything was fine. As she bent over once more another spasm, stronger than before, shot through her pelvis and centered in her lower back. She gasped involuntarily, dropping the probe and grabbing her belly as the first contraction hit.

Angela was at her side a second later, just in time to support her as her knees went weak. A moment later the pain had subsided and she forced herself to stand on her own.

"I'm fine, Ange," she breathed, trying to push her away. Angela wouldn't budge.

"You're having contractions, aren't you?" Angela asked, her eyes narrowed as she looked her friend over critically.

"No, Ange, it's just my back. It's been giving me trouble all day," Brennan said. She really didn't have time for this.

Angela frowned at her, but wouldn't leave her side. "That's the first sign of labor, Bren. C'mon, I want you to sit down over here."

About to argue, Brennan's breath caught as another strong contraction rippled through her. Groaning, her hands cradled her belly. Angela hooked a chair with her foot and dragged it over, pushing Brennan into it. Pulling her cell phone out, she called Booth.

"Hi, it's Angela. Brennan's in labor." She pulled the phone away from her ear as he shouted. "Don't worry, I'll get her to the hospital. Meet us there, okay?" She flipped the phone shut, cutting off another string of shouting. "This oughta be fun," she muttered. "Okay, do you think you could walk?" she asked gently.

Brennan glared up at her. "I'm pregnant, not infirm. But do you really think I'm—" she broke off as another contraction stole her breath. Angela waited patiently for it to pass, trying not to worry that they were coming so close together. When Brennan relaxed the death grip she had on her hand, she slid an arm around her friend and helped her to her feet. The contractions were coming very quickly. She hoped they'd make it to the hospital in time.

Booth paced the hospital hallway outside the labor and delivery room. "What's taking so long?" he asked nobody in particular. Hodgins shrugged and looked to Angela, who was leaning against the wall, the picture of calm.

"It's only been five minutes," she assured Booth. Just then the door opened and the nurse motioned to him. He rushed into the room, stopping at the sight of his wife lying on the bed, spread knees tented with a sheet. A low groan from her brought him to her side.

Taking her hand, he bent to kiss her forehead. "Hey," he said softly. "How're ya doin'?"

Pain had leeched all the color from her face and sweat had plastered her hair to her temples. She managed a weak smile. "I'm fine," she said bravely. Then she frowned. "Booth? The baby's early," she said worriedly.

Booth stroked a lock of her hair from her cheek tenderly. "I know baby, but it's gonna be okay. The doctor told me first borns are often early." He was careful to hide his own unreasonable concern. The doctor had seemed confident that the baby was going to be fine, but he couldn't help the fear that kept threatening to overwhelm him. If something happened to Bones or the baby, he didn't know how he'd handle it. He didn't want to think about that right now, his Bones needed his strength.

Her hand squeezed his as another pain took her and she gritted her teeth, moaning low as it stole her breath away. She was panting by the time it had passed. On the other side of the bed, the nurse patted her brow with a soft damp cloth. Brennan smiled up at him shakily. "You know, the clinical description of labor doesn't come close to the actual experience," she said breathlessly, trying for a light tone to ease the worry in his eyes.

A slight smile twisted his lips. "That's my Bones. Always the scientist. I told you not to read all those articles on childbirth," he teased.

"It's how I deal, Booth," she said, her faint smile turning into a grimace as another contraction rippled through her belly. She couldn't help the groan that was ripped from her throat.

The doctor came in just then. "How's it going?" he asked cheerily. Brennan glared at him.

Booth straightened from the bedside. "Hi, doc. She's in a lot of pain. Think you could give her something?" he asked, brow furrowed. He didn't like seeing her like this.

"No!" she gritted stubbornly. "No medication! It's bad for the baby—" she said, breaking off as another pain gripped her. Booth winced as her fingernails dug into his hand.

The doctor ducked under the tent to check out the situation. His head popped back out with a bright smile. "Fully effaced, Dr. Brennan. Good job!" he exclaimed, like she had any control over it. "Now, I'm going to ask you to push in just a minute, but for now, I want you to do your best not to. I'm going to give you a local and make the incision for the episiotomy." He ducked back under the tent without waiting for a reply.

Booth locked his eyes with hers. "You hear that, Bones? It's almost over. Keep your eyes on me, and if you feel like pushing just squeeze my hand and breathe through it," he instructed. She glared up at him.

"You have no idea what you're asking. The urge to push is a natural—ooooh!" she moaned, panting.

"Don't push, Bones! Do you hear me? Don't push until the doc—"

"Push!" the doctor urged suddenly.

"Push!" Booth echoed, clutching her hand as her face went beet red and she bore down with the contraction. A moment later she was panting, resting a bit before the next one hit. "That's it, honey, you're doing great!" he said excitedly, smiling down at her.

"Shut up, Booth! It hurts!" she growled, shaking her head as another pain squeezed her like a vise.

Moments later Booth grinned as he heard the baby let out a loud wail. He laughed in relief. Brennan lay back, exhausted as the doctor called out. "A boy! You have a beautiful baby boy."

Booth couldn't stop grinning. "You hear that, Bones? We have a boy," he said, squeezing her hand.

She smiled wearily. "Don't call me Bones," she ordered without heat. Minutes later the nurse placed a blue wrapped bundle in her arms and she smiled down at her son. When she looked up at Booth, there were tears in her eyes. "Is he supposed to be this red?" she asked with a crack in her voice.

Booth smiled as he looked at his son. "It's okay, he won't be red for long. Parker was red for a little while after he was born." Reaching out a finger to stroke the baby's soft cheek, he felt a rush of intense love. He turned his head to find Brennan watching him tearily. He leaned in to kiss her tenderly. "I love you," he said huskily.

"I love you, too," she whispered, smiling and blinking the tears away. She looked back down at their baby, who was gazing up at her with a tiny frown between his brows.

"Hey, little man," Booth said, "wait until your big brother sees you. He's gonna flip."

Brennan sighed, more tired than she had ever been before. "Do you want to hold him?" she asked.

Booth's face lit up. "Sure," he said. She lifted him and Booth expertly slipped his hands under the baby's head and butt, drawing him close to cradle him. A lump caught in her throat at the look of tenderness on his face. If she had had any doubts about raising a child with him before, they were permanently laid to rest at that moment. She knew he would do anything for their baby, and she realized she would too.

BBBBB

**This is the last full chapter. I will be posting a short epilogue later today or tomorrow. Now please click the little blue button and tell me what you thought.**


	16. Chapter 16

EPILOGUE

Brennan was torn. On the one hand, she was looking forward to returning to work on Monday. She really missed her work, though she had kept up with emails and reading all the casefiles they were working on. On the other hand, she didn't want to leave little Russell. They had found a wonderful nanny for him. Rachel Foreman had impeccable credentials and came with glowing references from the other two families she had worked for. She was thirty-two, a tiny brunette with a boundless supply of energy and a sometimes irritating chirpy manner. Though they had nothing in common, she and Brennan had immediately clicked. Booth didn't understand it, but Brennan thought maybe it was the warm and loving way she was with the baby. Brennan thought she would feel jealous of her, but somehow all she felt was gratitude that she had found someone else who shared her fascination with every little thing Russell did.

Brennan looked down at him, cradled securely in her arms, as she rocked him. She had just finished breast feeding him and she smiled as his eyes moved behind his translucent eyelids and a frown formed on his perfect brow. His lips pursed and a milk bubble formed as his mouth sucked reflexively. She sighed with contentment. She could sit and watch him sleep like this for hours. His hair, so like Booth's, stood up in places and no amount of smoothing would tame it. His eyes, dark blue when he was born, had turned dark chocolate brown, and looking into them never failed to tug at her heartstrings. She was going to have a hard time telling the little guy 'no' when he got old enough to get into things, and as for punishing him, she feared that was going to be nearly impossible.

She heard the front door open and a minute later Booth was there, crouched by the rocking chair. "Hi," he whispered with a smile, leaning forward to kiss her. He touched a finger to his son's cheek, starting him on another round of sucking. "How's he been today?" he asked softly, eyes watching the baby intently.

Brennan smiled tiredly. "Wonderful, as usual. I realize I should enjoy it while I can, but sometimes I wish he didn't sleep so much."

Booth chuckled. "Yeah, won't be long you'll be looking back on these times with fondness," he warned. Standing, he shrugged out of his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. "Hand him over," he urged, and she did so gladly. Her arms were getting tired.

Cradling his son to his chest, Booth started shifting from foot to foot, watching the dreams flitting across his son's tiny face. The look of wonder he wore made Brennan smile.

"Well, I'm going to go finish making dinner. The little guy interrupted me in the middle and I had to turn it off." Leaning up to kiss Booth, she hurried out. Booth sat in the rocker, shifting his son a bit and starting to rock gently, his mind wandering as the baby slept on.

If anyone had told him a year ago that he and Bones would me happily married with a baby, he would have thought they were crazy. And here they were, and he couldn't imagine it any other way. They still had their disagreements, but one thing they always had was a deep love for each other and their son.

Brennan called out that dinner was ready. Booth got up and laid the baby in the crib, turning the baby monitor on. Softly stroking the downy head one last time, he left the room quietly to join her at the dinner table.

He could tell something was bothering her. She was only half listening as he told her about his day and she was barely eating. Finally he put his fork down.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or do you want me to guess?" he asked.

Her eyes snapped to his. "What?" she asked distractedly. "Oh, nothing, I'm fine."

He leaned back, studying her. "You might as well tell me," he said.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, recognizing his 'interrogation voice'. "I return to work on Monday," she began. He nodded, waiting for her to go on. "I'm—worried about Russell. What if he needs me?" she asked, trying not to sound whiny.

"Rachel will have your number at the lab. She'll call you if she needs you—"

Brennan frowned. "What if there's no time? What if something happens and she has to run him to the emergency room—" she was talking faster and faster. Booth's hand on hers stopped her litany of worries.

"Rachel is very capable, honey," he said gently. "You like her, don't you?"

Brennan swallowed and nodded. "Of course, she's the best, but what if—"

He leaned forward to cup her cheek. "It'll be fine," he insisted. "Have you changed your mind about working?" he dared to ask.

She stiffened and pulled away. "No! I love my work, I can't imagine quitting altogether—" she said, frustrated.

"Then what do you wanna do? You wanna take the baby with you to the lab?" he asked, trying to understand where this was going.

Frowning, she shook her head. "That wouldn't work, I wouldn't get anything done—"

"Then what?" he cut in, completely at a loss.

"I don't know!" she cried out, frustrated. She jumped to her feet and started clearing away the dishes. "I didn't ask for these feelings. I love him so much, more than I ever dreamed I would and I want to be here for him all the time." She stopped at the sink and dropped her head forward. "But my work is so important to me. To stop—I wouldn't be me any more."

Booth got up and crossed to stand next to her, touching her shoulder. "It'll be okay. You'll see. Once you're back in the lab with your squints and the bones and bugs and slime and everything, you won't have time to miss him—" Booth stopped as he realized that was the worst thing he could have said.

Her mouth dropped open. "Not miss him? What kind of mother do you think I am?" she demanded unreasonably.

Booth suppressed a groan. "Bones, stop. I didn't mean—you're twisting my words." Her lips pressed together and she scowled up at him. Grabbing her upper arms, he turned her to face him fully. "What I'm trying to say is, you wouldn't be happy giving up your career for the baby, I know that. We're lucky to have Rachel to take care of him when we can't." Putting a knuckle under her chin, he tipped her head up until her eyes met his. "You'll always be his mother."

Brennan bit her lip. "I know. I just hope he remembers that."

Booth pulled her close and rocked her in his arms gently. "He will, baby. I'm sure of it."

She relaxed against him, taking comfort in his solid strength. The fear was still there, lurking in the back of her mind, but she decided there was no point worrying about it. They'd just have to do the best they could and hope things would work out. If they didn't there'd be time to deal with it then.


End file.
